Packaged door unit



Jan. 17, 1956 G. x. LOGUE PACKAGED DOOR UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug.19, 1952 x INVENTOR I 1 /V n ATTORNEYS www,

Jan. 17, 1956 G. n. Loc-UE 237%,773

PACKAGED DOOR UNIT Filed Aug. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Jy. ,at

1N VENTOR ezzmffa Ma ATTORNEYS United States Patent O PACKAGED DODR UNITGlenn I. Logue, Jacksonville, Fla., assignor to Con-Dor Corporation ofAmerica, Jacksonville, Fla., a corporation of Florida Application August19, 1952, Serial No. 305,116

9 Claims. (Cl. 20-12) This invention relates to prefabricated door anddoor frame units and more particularly to such units of the split-jambtype.

The hanging of doors and the trimming out of the frames has always beenan expensive and timeconsuming task. Even though prefabricated door andframe units are known, considerable trouble has been encountered insetting up the units, getting them properly plumbed in the rough framestudding and aligning the separate sections of the jamb beforepermanently `securing them in place. Many on-the-job improvisations havebeen resorted to to `hold the various parts in position while they werebeing aligned and permanently fastened. Many times the jambs were warpedduring installation so that the frame was not plumb and an imperfectlyoperating door resulted.

The object of the present invention is to provide a prefabricated doorand frame incorporating means for initially plumbing the rst section ofthe two-part frame and holding it in adjusted position while theremaining portion is installed.

Another object of the invention is to provide in such structure meansfor accurately aligning the two sections and holding them properlyaligned while they are being permanently fixed to the studding.

A further object of the invention is to provide aligning means for thesections which alsoforms a solid base to hold the jambsagainst warpingas they are being secured in position. i

A still further object is the provision of means for initially plumbingthe rst section to `be installed, which means also serves as aligningmeans for the several sections. i

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingdescription of practicalembodiments thereof when taken in conjunctionwith the drawings which accompany, and form a part of, thisspecification. I i

ln the drawingsr` Figure l is an elevational View of a door and framestructure, embodying the principles of thetpresent invention, showninstalled;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section through one of the jambs showing themeans for initially plumbing `the unit, and is taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the jacks used for initiallyplumbing the unit and for aligning the sections of the unit; v

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a portion of one ofthe jambsand illustrating a slightly modified form of the invention;and, i

Figure 6 is a partial horizontal section through the structure shown inFigure 5, and is taken substantially on the line 6 5 of Figure 5.`

In general, the present invention comprises Ia pre,- fabricated door andframe assembly of the two-part jamb line type having means for initiallyholding the frame in place in the rough studding framing the dooropening, which means also serves to align the sections of the jarnbs andform a solid base to hold the jamb sections in position while nailing orscrewing the assembly in place. i

Referring to the drawings in detail, there is shown the customary roughframing in a partition wall 1 outlining the door opening and to receivethe door and door frame. The framing consists of the usual verticalstudding members 2 which are spaced apart a distance greater than thedesired width of the linished door open ing, and the horizontal member 3bridging the tops of the vertical members 2. The prefabricated doorframe of the present invention is split longitudinally into what will bereferred toas a front section 4 and a back section 5. The twosectionsare put in place from opposite sides of the door opening to formthe finished frame. The front section 4 of the frame consists of the twojambs 6 and 7 and the lintel 8. The jambs 6 and 7 are permanently fixedto the lintel S, and held in spaced parallel relation by means of thelintel. The usual facing panels 9, 1l) and 11 are nailed to the jambs 6and 7 and the lintel 3. These panels may be trimmed in any desiredmanner with moulding strips. When the frame is in place in the dooropening the panels cover the rough studding. `A door 12 is mounted inthe front section of the frame by means of hinges l?, fixed to the jamb6. The door has the usual provision for a latch and locking means tocooperate with the jamb 7.

The inner edge of each jamb is provided with arcuate recesses lil spacedapart along its length. Three such recesses are shown on each jamb, butit will be understood that in actual practice more will be provided asrequired. They probably will be located on eighteen inch centers. Thelintel S has its rear edge similarly recessed, as shown at 15. Recesses14 form the mounting means for small jacks 16. lacks i6 have acylindrical hub portion 17 which is of a length substan tially equal tothe thickness of the wood of the jambs. A flange 1d, of considerablylarger diameter than the hub, encircles the jack approximately at thecenter of the hub, and when the flange is seated in a recess i4, theends of the hub `are substantially flush with the side surfaces of thejamb. Hub 1;'7 is centrally bored and screw-threaded to receive a screw19 which carries a bearing head Ztl. The opposite end of the screw 19has a kerf so that a screw driver may be used to move the bearing headtoward and away from the hub portion of the jack. After the ilange ofthe jack has been inserted in one of the recesses 14, a small nail 2l isdriven through the jamb and passes through an opening Z2 in the ilangeliti of the jack to securely hold the jack in position upon the jamb.

No jacks are used along the lintel Si, but disks Z3, similar to theflanges itl of the jacks, are seated in the recesses l5 and held inplace by nails Disks 23 are imbedded in the lintels slightly less thanbali their diameters, as are the anges i3 in the jambs, so thattheyproject well beyond the rear edges of the lintel.

The back section of the frame is composed of the spaced jambs 25 and 26and the lintel Z7. Face panels 28, 29 and Si) are attached to the jambs2:5', 26 and lintel 27 respectively. The jambs have arcuate recesses 31,similar to recesses 14 and similarly spaced along the rear edges of thejambs. Lintel 27 has the recesses 32. After the front section of theframe has been put in place, as will be described, the back section isslipped into the rough opening and the protruding portions of theflanges 18 of the jacks and the disks 23 iit into the respectiverecesses 31 and 32 of the back section. This will 'bring the inner`sur-faces of the jambs and lintels of the twg trams restless intoabsente alignment- Any gap between the edges ofrthe two frame sectionswill be covered by the installation of a conventional bumper strip 33.

In installino the prefabricated `frame and door unit just described,thefront section.' of the frame with the door in place is slipped intothe roughed-in opening until the face panels 9, and 11 lie flat againstthe plaster or other tinishing substance on the wall. The jacks 16 willv thenbe manipulated ,by means of a screw driver to bring the bearingheads 20 snugly up against the vertical studding members 2. These can beadjusted to set the frame and door plumb in the opening. The jacks aretightened sudiciently against the studding to hold the frame snugly YIin place.` The sill 10 may be secured in place bridging the bottoms ofthe jambs of the front section to hold the jambs in proper spacedrelation during shipping and VVto prevent the vbottom of the jambs frombeing forced toward one another as the jacks are tightened against thest udding. If desired, the sill may be omitted and any suitable brace(not shown) used in its place during shipping and installation. When thefront section is irmiy in place, the other section Vof the frame isslipped into the opening from the rother side of the wallV or partition.The recesses 31 and 32 are slipped onto the projecting portions of theanges 18 and disks23, and

the back section pushed inwardly until the facing panels 2S, 2* and 3dlie flush against the wall. The distance separating the edges of .thesections when in place will vary according to the thickness of the wall.The jambs of the two sections can be nailed or otherwise securedVtotl'ie studding to permanently hold the frame in place. The .nailswill be driven through the jambs close to the jacks i6 which willholdthe jambs perfectly true during the nailing. The jacks, bearing againstthe studding, form rigid bases yto prevent movement of the jambs as thenails are driven in. After the two frame sections are securely fastened,the bumper strip 33 is nailed in place covering the gap between theedges or the jamb and lintel sections. This completes the installation.

it will be understood that the two frame sections will be prefabricatedand the door hung in the front section at a mill and the unit shipped tothe job Where itis to be installed. The unit will be suitably braced andpacked for shipmentvto prevent damage. y In Figures 5 and 6 a slightlymodified form of the invention is shown. Here, the jambs 34 of the frontsection are grooved, as at 35, alongthe entire length of their rearedges, and receive a tongue 36. The tongue is as long as the groove andmay be fixed in the groove by brads 37, or by other means. Theprotruding-portion of the tongue is provided with a plurality ofopenings 38 which are spaced along the tongue close to the edge of Vthejamb 34 to receive the hubs 39 of jacks 40. In this form, the jackshave'flanges 41 at one end of the hub which are smaller than the anges18 of the form previously described. The flange fits against one side ofthe tongue 36 and may be riveted or otherwise secured to the tongue, asat 42. The hub is bored and tapped to receive the screw 43 having abearing head 44. The inner edge of the rear jamb section 45 is alsoprovided with a longitudinal groove 46 so that when the two sections ofthe frame are iitted together the tongue 36 will tit within the groove46 to align the sections. It will be understood that the lintel sectionsmay be provided with similar grooves and a tongue (not shown) foraligning these portions. f

The modified structure is assembled in the same manner as thatpreviously described. The front section is put in the opening andplumbed and locked in position by means of the` jacks 40. The rearsection is then put in place and the assembly permanently xed, in place.

While practical embodiments of the invention have been described labove,.itwill be ,understood that the prel cise structure disclose dismerely by way of example,

and the invention may take other forms within the scope of the appendedclaims. Y

What is claimed is:

l. A prefabricated door and door frame assembly comprising, a two-partframe including front and back sections, each section having spacedjambs and a lintel and face panels on said jambs and lintels, a doorhingedly mounted on one jamb of one or" said sections, and jack memberscarried by the jambs of one of said sections and movable outwardlyVthereof to contact the sidesV of a rough dooropening and initially plumbthat section in a rough door opening and hold said section in placeduring the installation of the other section and the permanent securingof both sections in place.

2. in a prefabricated door and door frame assembly as claimed in claiml, means projecting from the inner edges of the jambs and lintel of oneof said sections, and the inner edges of the jambs and lintel of theother of said sections having grooves to receive the said projectingmeans for aligning the respective jambs and lintels of the two sections.

3. in a prefabricated` door and door frame assembly as claimed ink claiml, said jacks comprising a hollow threaded hub portion Vtilted to thejambs of said one section and a screw member having a bearing headthreaded into said hub;

4. ln a prefabricated door and frame assembly as claimed in 4claim l,said jacks comprising a hollow threaded hub portion and a `screw memberhaving a bearing head threaded into said hub, a flange encircling saidhub, said ange being partially imbedded in the inner edges of the jambsof the frame section carrying said jacks and protruding therefrom, theinner edges of the jambs ofy said other frame section having grooves toreceive the projecting portions ofV said jack anges to align therespective jambs of said frame sections.

5.' A prefabricated door anddoor frame assembly com- Y prising, atwo-part frame including front and back Vsections, each section havingspaced jambs and a'vlintjel and face panels onsaid vjambs and lintels,'a doorhingedly mounted on one jamb of one of said sections, and jackVmembers carried by the'jambs of one of said sections,.said

jacks having hollow threaded'hub'portions attached to the jambswiththeir axes lying transversely of the jamb, and a screw member having abearing Vhead threadedly engaged in said hub with the bearing headexteriorly of the frame, whereby movementl of the screw members of saidjacks will'seat` the bearing heads against thesides of a rough dooropening. to initially'plumb the section carrying said jacks in theopening and hold said section in position during the installation of theother said section'and the'permanent securing of both sectionsin place.

6. Ina prefabricated door and door frame assembly as claimed inzclairnvl, means projecting-from the inneriedges of the jambs of one of saidsections in the plane of said jambs, and the inner edges of the jambs ofsaid other frame section having grooves to receive the projecting meansto align the respective jambs of the two frame sections.

7. A prefabricated door andldoorframe assembly comi prising, a two-partframe including front and back sections, each sectionl having spacedjambs and a lintelr and face panels on said jambs and lintels, a doorhingedly mounted on: one of the jambs of one of said sections, saidjambsof one of said sections having grooves in their 5 6 jectng throughsaid tongue, and a ange encircling said References Cited in the le ofthis patent hub portion to abut the tongue and be secured thereto.UNITED STATES PATENTS 9. In a prefabricated door and door frame assembly2,489,029 Guerrant Nov. 22, 1949 2,582,765 Brew Jan. 15, 1952

